Almost every week (in the UK) there are articles in the press and on tv and radio urging us to keep our bank details secure, shred personal info before it goes in the bin, etc, and at least once a week currently I get phishing emails purporting to come from banks, which I delete unopened.

And yet, in support of a visa application, here I am posting a bank statement across the world to a city renowned for forgery, corruption and countless scams. Regrettably, our Civil Service is no longer the model of probity that it once was, but worse than that we are obliged to submit our details to a contractor whose employees may or may not have been vetted, for what that's worth.

I have therefore obliterated my sort code and account number from the statement. Does anyone else do this, or has anyone suffered unauthorised transactions on their bank account after submitting financial details as a sponsor?

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.....

I must admit I did think the same thing. I sent numerous personal documents in support of a VV by Royal Mail "International Signed For" and the package never arrived. Who knows where it is now, but it contained copies of bank statements, credit card statements, passport, mortgage statement, photos etc. I eventually resorted to FedEx for about 40 quid - it arrived in three days, but the bloody application was still refused !

Nothing untoward has happened since the disappearance of the original package, but I would certainly delete any account numbers etc in the future.

Almost every week (in the UK) there are articles in the press and on tv and radio urging us to keep our bank details secure, shred personal info before it goes in the bin, etc, and at least once a week currently I get phishing emails purporting to come from banks, which I delete unopened.

And yet, in support of a visa application, here I am posting a bank statement across the world to a city renowned for forgery, corruption and countless scams. Regrettably, our Civil Service is no longer the model of probity that it once was, but worse than that we are obliged to submit our details to a contractor whose employees may or may not have been vetted, for what that's worth.

I have therefore obliterated my sort code and account number from the statement. Does anyone else do this, or has anyone suffered unauthorised transactions on their bank account after submitting financial details as a sponsor?

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.....

I understand how this may be of concern to a man of your substantial means. However, the poorer amongst us are hoping any con artists when faced with the prospect of an almost empty account will actually make a deposit.

Scouse.

.....about as likely as a mujahideen doctor from the Gaza strip sponsored by an Afghan Taliban securing a post of hospital orderly in the borough of Sefton, I would have thought.